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Nice list. I tend to agree with most of your choices, although I'd have to dig deep to find Beckley, Fletcher, Ritchey, and Leever, who I assume are old-old timers.

The only starting pitcher I wasn't too hot on was Bob Friend, whom I remember as an above-average workhorse who had a few outstanding seasons during his long tenure with the Buccos. Thought Doug Drabek might be a better choice until I reviewed Friend's stats. His winning percentage wasn't HOF stuff -- the Pirate offense was mediocre for much of his career -- but everything else (ERA, GS, CG, Shutouts, etc.) certainly ranks him among the best Pirate pitchers of all time. Thanks for the reminder.

As for relievers, I might take issue with Alvin McBean. I remember him being an effective but not dominant reliever during the 60's, and one year -- was it 1966? -- he was used as a starter for a while. I think he got off to a good start that year but faded as the season progressed (or maybe he was injured). The Pirates have had lots of relievers who had better seasons than McBean, but none lasted as long or were as consistently effective.

And one more thing: I would be tempted to include Dave Parker in RF if he hadn't let his big contract go to his head, snort coke, and weigh himself down with so much jewelry. He was the most dominant Pirate hitter I ever saw until all that happened. He literally carried the team on his shoulders for a few years. He also had a rocket arm and was a great baserunner for his size. Oh, what could have been!!!

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Just looked up McBean's stats. Forgot he was a starter at first. In 1962 he started 29 times and was quite effective. After that he was primarily used as a reliever. But in 1968 (the year I remember), he started 28 games. His ERA from 1963 to 1967 (when he was primarily a reliever) was consistently low. Wish the Pirates had someone like him today.

"No matter how great you were once upon a time — the years go by, and men forget,” - W. A. Phelon in Baseball Magazine in 1915. “Ross Barnes, forty years ago, was as great as Cobb or Wagner ever dared to be. Had scores been kept then as now, he would have seemed incomparably marvelous.”

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You could also add pitchers Deacon Phillippe and Jesse Tannehill. There's third basemen Bobby Bonilla and Bill Elliott (Elliott has a good hall of fame case and gets treated unfairly for playing during WWII like Bob Johnson). There's also outfielder Brian Giles and center fielders Al Oliver and Andy Van Slyke. Hall of Fame left fielder Fred Clarke.